[UPDATED Apr 17] iQIES launch and CASPER report updates

Ken BellClient News, Skilled Nursing14 Comments

UPDATES – AS OF APR. 17, 2023:

Thanks for all your cooperation during the iQIES launch! Automated MDS submission through Simple is going strong.

We are excited to announce that CMS/CASPER report retrieval is back online.

Simple began pulling reports on April 25. Please note that due to a backlog of requests, iQIES report delivery is running somewhat slower than normal. There may be a delay of 30-60 minutes or more after requesting reports.

We expect that delay to decrease as we catch up to the volume of requests. Please be patient as our systems get up to speed. We will continue monitoring SimpleAnalyzer to ensure that your software is operating at maximum efficiency.

Summary:

Stage 1: MDS Batch Deliveries in iQIES

Complete

Stage 2: Final Validation Retrieval

Complete

Stage 3: CASPER Report Automation

Complete

We will keep you posted with any important news. Thanks again, and happy submitting!

Your friends at Simple

UPDATES – AS OF APR. 17, 2023:

Welcome to iQIES! CMS officially launched the new iQIES platform today. And Simple is ready to go. We had our first MDS submission and validation in iQIES early this morning.

Simple clients can now submit MDS batches directly to CMS through iQIES, and we have submitted over 500 MDS batches on the first official day in the new platform. Automated submissions to CMS through Simple are back online.

To our clients: Thank you so much for your cooperation in setting up your accounts and navigating all the updates from CMS. Over 97% of clients were fully linked by go-live. It took some amazing teamwork to make this transition so successful!

Important update on CASPER report retrieval:

As expected, the new configuration for CMS/CASPER reports was released this morning when iQIES launched. The Simple team is already updating our software to bring these reports into your accounts automatically. We don’t have an official timeline yet regarding when those updates will be completed, but we do not anticipate significant delays. There is nothing you need to do at this time. Thank you for your patience!

For now, if you need to access CMS/CASPER reports, you can do so through iQIES manually. This is only temporary — Simple will have automated report downloads up and running soon.

Summary:

Stage 1: MDS Batch Deliveries in iQIES

Complete

Stage 2: Final Validation Retrieval

Complete

Stage 3: CASPER Report Automation

In Progress

We will keep you posted with any important news. Thanks again, and happy submitting!

Your friends at Simple

UPDATES – AS OF MAR. 23, 2023:

Please note that as of Thursday, Mar. 23, CMS has resolved the HARP role request error.

  • We previously reported on Mar. 8 that the HARP system was failing to accept new role requests due to a system error. That error has been resolved and Simple has resumed sending role requests on behalf of our clients (see Step 3 below).
  • As of Mar. 23, approximately 45% of Simple clients have been successfully linked for one or more HARP accounts. Simple will continue sending HARP role requests on behalf of our clients in batches over the next several days.

Please be sure to complete the steps below as soon as possible to ensure your organization can continue MDS transmissions to CMS after Apr. 13. If you have questions, please reach out to our Support Team.

Action required: Simple clients MUST take these 3 Steps to prepare for iQIES

At Simple, we’ve worked hard to educate our clients about the upcoming switch from the legacy QIES Assessment Submission and Processing (ASAP) system to the new iQIES system. Along the way, there have been some shifts in CMS plans and guidance, and we’ve worked closely with CMS, and with our partners at Advion, to make sure Simple software is ready for this transition.

Below, we’ve summarized the three key steps you MUST take now to ensure you can continue to submit MDS data after the iQIES transition. (NOTE: Due to updated guidance from CMS, these steps differ from what we’ve previously communicated. Please ignore any prior communications we’ve sent about iQIES and follow these newly updated instructions.)


Step 1) Make note of the iQIES go-live date

CMS has officially announced that iQIES will go live on Monday, April 17, 2023. To prepare for that transition, CMS will turn off the existing QIES Assessment Submission and Processing (ASAP) system for MDS submissions on Thursday, April 13 at 8:00pm ET.

Providers must submit all MDS files prior to 8:00pm ET on April 13 to QIES or wait until the new iQIES system comes online at 8:00am ET on April 17. Providers are expected to consider all requirements when deciding when to submit MDS files during this transition, including submission timeliness, claims processing, and care planning requirements.


Step 2) Ensure a PSO is identified for your facility

Every provider must identify a Provider Security Official (PSO) for each facility. All future CMS connectivity depends on this. The PSO is the person responsible for approving or rejecting iQIES user access for their facility, including from trusted vendors such as Simple.

If you haven’t yet set up a PSO, it’s critical you do so immediately. Follow these steps to register the PSO for your facility:

  1. Identify at least one individual within your organization who will be the PSO. This person will then approve future iQIES roles, including a role for Simple as your authorized data submitter.
  2. The PSO for your organization will then need to register for iQIES login credentials by creating an account in the HCQIS Access Roles and Profile (HARP) system at: https://harp.cms.gov/register
  3. Set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for the account and complete the Identify Proofing process.
  4. Access iQIES using your HARP ID and password: https://iqies.cms.gov
  5. Initiate your Provider Security Official (PSO) role request using your provider CCN.
  6. Once your request is submitted AND approved, you will receive an email notification. At this point, you will have authority to approve/deny requests for iQIES access and role types in the HARP system.

For more info on the PSO process, visit this page. CMS has also provided videos explaining HARP registration.


Step 3) Configure Simple’s iQIES roles to ensure you can continue to transmit MDS data

At Simple, we understand there have been several twists and turns in the launch of iQIES. As CMS prepares for the very complicated launch of iQIES, it’s understandable that their guidance for providers/vendors has changed over time. We also know that this has caused confusion amongst our clients.

The important thing to remember is that Simple software will be ready for the iQIES change on Day 1. We’ve been preparing for iQIES for over two years, and we have worked hard to keep up with the changing guidance to ensure our systems are ready for the change.

To ensure your organization is also ready for the iQIES go-live on April 17, there are additional steps you MUST take so that Simple can continue to submit MDS data on your behalf. The PSO at your organization should follow these steps to ensure that your MDS data submissions are not interrupted during the iQIES transition.

NOTE: The following steps may differ slightly for single facilities vs. larger organizations.

    • For single facilities, the PSO can perform the steps as outlined. Once you have approved all six roles, your iQIES setup is complete.
    • For larger organizations with multiple facilities, the PSO should be able to approve the six new roles for multiple facilities simultaneously. Note that Simple is sending iQIES role requests through HARP in batches over multiple days, so you may need to perform these steps more than once in order to configure Submitter access for all facilities.
  1. In the upcoming weeks, look for six individual emails from HARP requesting “Submitter” role authorization for Simple personnel. For Simple to continue submitting your MDS data, the active PSO for the facility MUST approve the following Simple employees:
      • Jason Jones (VP and General Manager, Simple Solutions)
      • Collin Hall (Lead Software Architect, Simple Solutions)
      • Barry Moore (Team Lead and Lead Software Engineer, Simple Solutions)
      • Michael Schneider (Lead Dev Ops Engineer, Simple Solutions)
      • Luke Harrison (Functional Specialist, Simple Solutions)
      • Brenna Saxton (Team Lead and Senior Solution Support Analyst, Simple Solutions)
  2. In HARP, look for the Security page, where you should find a list of “pending approvals,” that includes the six individuals.
  3. Check the boxes for each of those six individuals and select “Approve.”

As noted, this process is critical to ensure that Simple can continue submitting MDS data to CMS on your behalf. If you don’t successfully complete these steps prior to the MDS transition, your organization will not be prepared for iQIES, and you will not be able to submit MDS files to CMS.

Thank you for being a Simple client! We appreciate your partnership as we work together to navigate this important transition to the new iQIES system.


As a Simple client, what else should I know about the iQIES change?

Following are some frequently asked questions about iQIES and how it affects your Simple software and MDS transmissions: 

What is iQIES?

iQIES (internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System) is an internet-based system that will be used for all submissions and communications to/from CMS, including MDS submissions, surveys, and certifications. Official iQIES manuals from CMS can be found here.

CMS has been planning this transition for a few years. iQIES is already underway for home health agencies, but was delayed for skilled nursing facilities due to COVID. CMS recently announced that the official transition to iQIES for skilled nursing will occur on April 17, 2023. After that date, all transmissions to CMS will go through iQIES.

When will I receive the HARP emails asking me to configure iQIES Submitter roles for Simple personnel?

Due to the large number of Simple clients and the way HARP is configured, we have to send HARP role requests in batches. We have already begun this process, but it may take a few days/weeks before your facility receives these email requests. Please be patient if you don't see the email requests immediately. If you have questions in the meantime, please contact our Support Team for further information.

Will iQIES change how I submit MDS data through Simple?

No. If you have properly configured PSO and Submitter roles, allowing Simple to access and manage your MDS data, you will not notice a change in your MDS transmission workflow.

Where will I find my CASPER reports under iQIES?

CASPER reports can be manually retrieved by anyone with access to iQIES. Simple is updating our software to automatically retrieve those reports for you. This update will be available soon.

Will CMS provided any additional info or training resources?

CMS has said they will continue to provide information via email regarding iQIES training, technical guidance, details on what to expect, etc. CMS has also released several User Manuals for iQIES in January 2023.

Will Simple provide additional information about iQIES?

Yes. Simple is currently working on additional iQIES training content, which we will place inside our software applications for users to watch on-demand. In the meantime, please keep an eye on the Simple blog for the latest updates. We’ll also continue to update our clients via emails and application pop-up alerts.

What if I have more questions about iQIES or PSO/Submitter configuration?

The iQIES transition is a complicated process, and we understand this may cause confusion amongst some clients. After you’ve followed the steps above, if you still have questions, please reach out to our Support Team for further information.

14 Comments on “[UPDATED Apr 17] iQIES launch and CASPER report updates”

  1. Once our facility completes HARP and IQIES log in requirements and obtains PSO, how do we move forward with having the 6 simple employees user roles approved? We completed everything but i do not have requests from simple employees. Thank you.

  2. Is there any update on when we can expect the Casper reports to be available in Simple?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Caroline: Reports are available now, but due to a backlog of requests, they are running slowly. We’ll send an announcement with further details soon.

  3. Hi do I need an account to assess the Casper report in simple ? If by any change do we had any webinar on this topic.

    1. Hi Gloria: All SimpleAnalyzer/SimpleConnect users have access to CASPER via the reports dashboard. Reports are now available on a limited basis, but are running slowly due to a backlog of requests. Please be patient as we continue to test the system and get everything up to speed. Thanks!

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